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My DD is receiving invites to princess tea parties lately. So far, they don't involve nail polish and "spa" features but if they did, I would allow her to go as long as it was nail polish level stuff. I don't have a problem with nail polish occasionally . There are lots of brands that are much safer for kids. I had planned to let DD have a professional manicure when she was a flower girl recently, but we just ran out of time so i gave her a coat of her kid safe polish. I'm just wary of my DD growing up too fast, that's all!
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Hmmm, I don't think I would let her go to a spa at this age. If it was a party at someone's house where the kids got their nails painted with child-safe paint, I'd be ok with that. I painted DD's nails one day, and she loved it, but I don't think I would make it a regular activity at this age (or do it at a spa/salon).
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When I see little kids at the nail place, they usually just get paint, nothing else (or maybe dip their feet in water for a bit). I think it needs to be reserved for special occasions, but I don't think it's a problem (if it's keep to a minimalist treatment).
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I'm not opposed to sending her to a birthday party as long as safe polishes are used. All of our girls have piggy paint at home. I don't really think it's a great thing to do all the time though. I started having my nails done at 15 (haven't been in a year). My step-daughters go with their Mom to have mani pedis once a month. It disheartens me to see a 3 year old with perfect nails, she started taking them at 2 & 5.
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Probably not. Why would I want to pay that much for a toddler to get her nails done? It's weird IMO.
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There's a Wee Spa around here, that's just for little girls...I think I'd rather a little girl go there than a grown up salon. But, it wouldn't really bother me to send my kid to a party like that. Sounds fun!
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Nope. I have painted my gal's toes with Piggy Paint, and my SIL painted them with regular polish, but going to a spa is too much too soon for me.
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I think it would be a really fun mother daughter treat for special occasions.... Like a pedi or mani and lunch date with mommy. I wouldn't do it all the time but I see no problem with it occasionally.
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Nope. I just don't like the idea of my little girl being held to beauty standards practiced by grown women. But, to each her own!
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This is the kiddie chair at the nail salon I go to
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Interesting replies. You all are broadening my thinking on this issue.
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@blackbird: OMG, that is adorable!!! I wish my salon had something like that for R when she gets old enough.
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A nail polish party at a friend's house, or a kid-spa would probably be fine with me around age 4 or 5. I would have an issue with the strong chemical smell in a salon, and also with the cost. We had my best friend's 2 year old's nails painted when we were getting our nails done once, and as soon as we were done, her hands were in her mouth and she had chewed the nail polish off. Waste of money, and unsafe!
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I think toddler-age is way too young to start beauty routines...but as an occasional special treat or bday party? Sure, why not. That being said, professional mani/pedis are pricey and even I can only afford them a few times a year, like heck my toddler is getting me to pay for one
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Is it awful that when we found out we were having a girl I immediately became excited at the thought of getting mommy/daughter mani/pedis together?! A lot of the salons near me have chairs for little girls, and I always think it's sweet to see moms and daughters doing that together. Obviously we couldn't afford to do it all the time, but I think for her birthday or a special day out it would be fun
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I think as a special party event, or special occasion it's a fun little activity. I wouldn't take my child on a regular basis but for a friends party I see no issue. If I have a daughter I hope to be able to raise her in such a way to know true beauty by respecting herself and being a kind, loving person... But with that confidence also comes the awesome power of makings ones outward appearance beautiful. If getting her nails done makes her feel special- why not! I think being a girl is so fun and he's as a child there are definite boundaries but I don't think I would tell my daughter she can't attend a birthday party simply because they were getting their nails done.
I might have an issue with it if ALL her friends were having those type of parties all year long. I would probably have an open discussion with dd about it.
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I think if my daughter were invited to a birthday party, then I would be ok with sending her, as long as the polish used was kid-safe.
However, I would not setup a party like that for my daughter (even if she begged me). She would be allowed to paint nails at home though.
I also wouldn't take her with me to get a pedi until she were much older. However, I also only get a pedi about once a year!
Is that weird?
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@sunny: well I don't think so, but I seem to be in the minority.
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I would let my daughter go to a mani/pedi party, as long as they know that that kind of thing is for special occasions and not every day. I would also have a talk about how beautiful they are just as they are, and that while it is sometimes fun to do your nails, just as it is sometimes fun to dress up and play make-believe, it isn't for all the time.
For that matter, if S (my little boy) wanted a mani/pedi, I would whole heartedly let him get one and choose his own nail colour!
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@blackbird: they have those at the salons I go to as well
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My first mani was at 11 or 12. Even them it was really just a professional polish job and my mom had the lady paint my nails pink and apply a flower. Very girly. Very young.
I think nails are a right of passage that should be saved for when kids are a bit older. Some of the child mani/ pedis and spa treatments incorpoeate cholocate facials, sudsyy, bubbly pedi baths, and glitter polish. Some of this stuff is really grated to kids, but I think it's still a bit too grown for toddlers.
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@sunny: I don't think your position is weird. I don't get manicures (I've had two in my whole life), so I may be an outlier, but I read the news stories a few years back when some of the salons for little girls opened up and I felt like it was an odd idea.
That said, I'd probably let my daughter (I have a son now) go if she were maybe 4. I am wary about the fumes, so I would go check the place out first. But if it was clean, had safer polishes, and didn't smell, I'd give her the green light if it was a good friend's party. I would never organize such a party, though.
I'll add this: I was a 3yo who wore makeup...twice. I danced and we had a recital every year. We had one dress rehearsal. We wore lipstick, eyeshadow (eggshell blue!), and blush. That experience made me really dislike most makeup. I wear some daily now, but I share that because I think these spa parties could have the opposite of the intended effect on some girls. Also, I never asked my mom to let me wear makeup outside of dance performances until I was in high school. My dance friends didn't either. I doubt that a single spa trip would be 'habit forming' or do permanent damage to a child's self-esteem.
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I wouldn't encourage it because I think it's an "adult" activity. There's no need to rush childhood - some things are privileges that come with age. Make-up, pierced ears, high heels, and bikinis all fall into this camp for me. If you get to do all these things when you're 5, what else do you have to look forward to?
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I use piggy paint on E
but it says it's natural.I wouldn't take her to a salon until maybe her 4th birthday? I still don't know if I will. I want her to enjoy being a kid. I think by 7 or 8, perfectly fine.
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@blackbird: That is SO CUTE!
@lawbee11: Same, same! I got so excited at my anatomy scan - we went to dinner afterwards & I was going on and on to my husband... "We can go shopping together! We can get mani/pedis!..." Having a girl is going to be so fun! -
@sunny: no, you basically typed what I was thinking! I actually kind of hate pedicures though and have only gone when it's another person trying to 'treat' me and I don't want to be rude.
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I didn't get manicures until I was well out of college, my mom never went so I had no idea about the nail salon culture.
Now, I get mani/pedis somewhat regularly, it's an adult indulgence in my book.
If my hypothetical daughter were invited to a spa party, I'd let her go. I know how it feels to be excluded and while I don't want to completely coddle my children, I'd like to lessen the blows of that a little.
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@Mrs. Jacks: I love mani-pedis, before DD I went once a week. My mum took me for my first one at 11 as a good-bye treat before I left for boarding school.
But mani-pedis for toddlers does not sit well with me at all. I hate the idea to be honest. When she is about 6 or 7 I wouldn't mind so much but as a toddler, no. No way. At the same time, I really don't want DD to feel excluded from things so I will have to figure out a way to work through my feelings on the matter.
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I wouldn't take a toddler, but I'd take an older child... 4th grade+?
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I would never take DD to a salon to get her nails done but I will paint her toe nails myself at home. Although she wants her fingernails painted, I won't agree to that until she stops sucking her thumb.
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I wouldn't. My parents made me wait until I was 13 to get artificial nails (that was the first time I got my nails done).I could wear makeup until I was 16 (unless it was for a performance).
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